With increasing development of image processing technologies, digital image capture apparatuses such as digital still cameras have experienced great growth and are rapidly gaining in popularity. Since these digital image capture apparatuses are portable and convenient, they become essential electronic devices in our daily lives. Generally, the digital image captured by the digital image capture apparatus are shown on a screen such as a LCD screen, or directly outputted through an image printing apparatus such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral.
Conventionally, the digital image data captured by the digital image capture apparatus are transmitted to a computer and optionally processed by the computer. In response to execution of specified image processing software, the processed digital image data are transmitted to the image printing device which is linked thereto for printing. Unfortunately, the operating interface of the computer is quite complex, particularly for the uneducated users. The complicated operating interface becomes hindrance from using the digital image capture apparatus. Even if the user is well-educated in operating computer, the processes of learning operations of the image processing software and selecting desired parameters for printing are not user-friendly. In December of 2002, several manufacturers of printers and digital cameras cooperatively published a Direct Print Standard (DPS) and the commercial products that resulted from the initiative are referred to as “PictBridge”. By means of this specification “PictBridge”, the digital camera can be connected to a printer without the assistance of a computer so as to directly transfer images from the digital camera to the printer. Please refer to FIG. 1. With PictBridge, after the images have been captured by a digital image capture apparatus 12, the digital image capture apparatus 12 is connected to a printer 11 via a USB cable 13. PictBridge takes care of all the details, no matter what brand of camera or printer you use. As a consequence, the digital image data may be directly printed from the digital image capture apparatus 12 without the assistance of a computer.
Depending on the brands of the printer 11 and the digital image capture apparatus 12, the functions of direct printing are varied. In addition to the function of directly printing the photographs which are taken by the digital image capture apparatus 12, the printer 11 has other extended functions. For example, designated text/graph such as date, file name and/or image index may be automatically attached onto specified photographs. In addition, media size and image size can be specified by the printer 11. For example, it is possible to print a digital image onto a single A4 sheet, print several different digital images on a single A4 sheet or print several copies of the same picture at a time.
Hereinafter, a process of automatically attaching the designated text/graph on the specified image will be illustrated with reference to FIG. 2 and also FIG. 1. First of all, the digital image capture apparatus 12 is connected to the printer 11 via the USB cable 13 (step S11). Then, the designated text/graph to be attached on the specified image and the printing settings are retrieved by the printer 11 (step S12). Then, the digital image to be printed is retrieved by the printer 11 (step S13). Afterwards, by means of the printer 11, the digital image is rotated by at least a right angle, the designated text/graph is attached onto a specified position of the adjusted digital image, and then the digital image and the designated text/graph are together printed out (step S14). Generally, the procedure of rotating the digital image by at least a right angle makes the adjusted image maximized or optimized. The specified position is at a fixed corner of the adjusted image.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3(a), an image taken or captured by the digital image capture apparatus 12 is selected to be printed on a single A4 sheet. In the step S14, the selected image is rotated by at least a right angle and the designated text/graph is attached onto a specified position A, for example a lower right corner. Unfortunately, the position of the designated text/graph relative to the image is sometimes undesired. For example, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the digital image capture apparatus 12 had been rotated by a right angle in the clockwise direction before the image is taken or captured. In the step S14, the selected image is also rotated by at least a right angle and the designated text/graph is attached onto the specified position A, for example the lower right corner. Generally, the position of the designated text/graph relative to the image at this case is deemed as a defective position.
As previously described, the conventional process of automatically attaching the designated text/graph on the specified image has several drawbacks. For example, since the orientation of the selected image is not ascertained and the designated text/graph is attached onto a fixed position, the position of the designated text/graph relative to the image is usually undesirable. In addition, since the background color of the image is possibly non-uniform in brightness, the color of the designated text/graph may be close to the background color, and the designated text/graph will be unrecognizable.
In views of the above-described disadvantages resulted from the prior art, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly to develop an image processing method and an image printing apparatus according to the present invention through wholehearted experience and research.